Stop-motion for circular-knitting machines.



H. MCGRUDDEN- STOP MOTION FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13, 1911.

Patented July 9, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

INVENTUFI 7% 7w 6m ATTORNEY WITNEEEEE:

H. MGGRUDDEN.

STOP MOTION FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES,

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13, 1911.

Eatented July 9, 19112.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNEEEE: (L- J a NVEEITU Fl EIY fia ATFU FIN EY H. MOCRUDDEN.

STOP MOTION FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13, 1911.

1 3L6 Patented July 9,1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

WITNEEEEE; INVENTEIFI 3 7H6 b z 4 BY ATTORNEY HUGH MGCRUDDEN, 0F COHOES, NEW YORK.

v STOP-MOTION FOR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented JulyQ, 1912.

Application filed January 13, 1911. Serial No. 602,431.

marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

Figure 1' of the drawings is a view in side elevation of a circular spring-needle knittingmachine showing my improved stop motion applied't-hereto. Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation 10f the same on a smaller scale. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the broken line 33 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is'a vertical cross-section of the table, showing in elevation various parts mounted tliereon.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same on a.

smaller scale. Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation on an enlarged scale of part-of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, with the drop shown. supported by theyarn. Fig. 7 is a similar view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6, with the drop freed from the yarn. Fig. 8'is a vertical cross-section taken on the broken line 8--8 in Fig. 7

The principal object of the invention is to insure the prompt stopping of a knitting or other machine uponthe breaking of a feedthread or yarn supplying said machine.-

Other objects will appear in connection with the following description.

Referring tothe drawings where in the invention is shown in preferred form, 1, is a cylinder of an ordinary circular spring-nee dle knitting-machine adapted to be rotated from the drive-shaft, 2, in the usual manner by suitable connections not shown in detail in the drawings. The belt, 3, whereby power is supplied to the shaft, 2, from the main shaft, 4, is controlled by a belt-shipper, 5, on one end of an angle-lever, 6, fulcrumed at, 7, upon the top or table, 8, of the machine, and adapted to be moved by the coilspring, 9, when released, to shift the belt from the fixed pulley, 10, to the idle pulley, 11, to stop the operation of the machine.

- dles.

The machine is provided with a stop-mo,- tion of a known type comprising inpart a detector-finger, 12, 'fixed upon a vertical rocksl1aft, 13, which is adapted to be rocked or partly'rot'ated by the movement of the detector-finger, 12, lnduced by an aperture in the knitted web, 14, or any obstruction on the cylinder along the'top line of the nee- A trigger-lever, 15, pivoted at, 16, upon a fixed support, has its upper end adapted to occupy a .notch,.17, in the periphcry of a head, 18, on the fixed post, 19, upon which post the rock-shaft, 13, is 'rotatively mounted. When the upper end of the trigg'er-lever, 15, isseated in the notch, 17, its

lower end occupies a position in the path of an arm, 20, fixed upon the angle-lever, 6, by means of a bracket, 21, so as to form a practically rigid construction. When the trigger-lever, 15, is released from thenotch, 17, 1t yields to the movement of the arm, 20,- permitt-ing the lever, 6, to yield to the force of the spring, 9, and shift the belt to the idle pulley 11. V The rock-shaft, 13, has fixed thereon a cam, 22, which, by a rocking movementof said shaft, is caused to engage and force out of the notch, 17 the upper end of the trigger-lever 15. Whenever the detector-finger, 12, is moved by reason of an aperture in the fabric, or an obstruction on the cylinder, the shifting of the belt from the fixed to the idle pulley will thus be au tomatically accomplished.

It will be understood that the mechanism above described is one which is already knownin the art, and the same forms no part of the present invention.

In carrying out my invention I mount in bearings in brackets, 23, along the front of the table of the machine, an upper rockshaft, 24, and a lower rock-shaft, 25, each of which shafts is of cylindrical form only at the points where it occupies the bearings in the brackets 23. The lower shaft, 25, has fixed thereon a rocker-arm, 26, connected by a link, 27, with one arm of a lever, 28, fulcrumed at, 29, upon the table of the machine, and having on its other end a cam follower, 30, adapted to be engaged by a rotary cam, 31, fixed upon a continuously rotating shaft, 32. A coil-spring, 33, tends to hold the cam-follower, 30, -against the cam 31. As the shaft, 32, continuously rotates, a to-and-fro rocking motion will be imparted to the shaft 25.

- The rock-shaft, 24, has fixed thereon a at v drop is released from the control of the yarn, as by the breaking or slackening of the yarn, the weighted end, 40, of the drop will fall into the path of said finger, 39, and be engaged thereby at the next rocking movement of the shaft, 25, and when a finger, 39, so engages one of the lowered drops,

' rocker-arm, 41, by a chain, 44, with the 37, a rocking movement will thereby be imparted to the upper rock-shaft, 24, as indicated in Fig. 8, and this without regard to t e direction in which the finger, 39, is moving.

For certain purposes of the invention, the upper rock-shaft, 24, may be connected in any known manner with the controlling member of any known form of belt-shitting mechanism. In the preferred form of my invention shown in the drawings, I provide means whereby a rocking movement of the rock-shaft, 24, acts to'release the trigger-lever, 15, of the old form of stop motion with which machines of this character are ordinarily provided. For this purpose I fix upon the rock-shaft, 1-3, a

rocker-arm, 41, the lower end of which is.

connected by a chain, 42, with an arm, 43, projecting upward from the rock-shaft, 24, whereby a rocking movement of the shaft, 24, in one direction will cause or induce a rocking movement of the rock-shaft, 13; and I also connect the lower end of said lower end of a lever, 45, pivoted at, 46, upon a fixed support, and having on its upper end a projection, 47 extending across the path traversed by the upper end of the arm, 48, when the rock-shaft, 24, is rocked in the opposite direction; A rocking movement of the shaft, 24,-in' either direction is thus transmitted through one or the other of the chains, 42 and 44, to the rocker-arm, 41,

. serving to rock the shaft, 13, and thus cause or induce the shifting of the belt in the manner above described. The rock-shaft,

nearest;

housing being notched at, 49, in the path of the finger, 39, as 'shown more particularly in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. i That Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is' 1. In a machine of the class described,

and in combination, a rock-shaft; belt-shifting mechanism; means whereby arocking movement of said rock-shaft causes opera tion of said belt-shifting mechanism; a

drop carried by said rock-shaft adapted to be normally supported in raised position by a feed-yarn; a continuously operating counter-shaft; a finger carried by said countershaft; and a housing for said drop notched in the path of said finger and adapted to support said drop in the path of said finger when released from the control of the feedyarn. v

2. in a machine of the class described, and in combination, belt-shifting mecha nism; a vertical rock-shaft; means whereby a rocking movement of said vertical rockshaft induces operation of said belt-shifting mechanism; a detector-finger carried by said vertical rock-shaft; a horizontal rockshaft; a rocker-arm on said vertical rockshaft; a rocker-arm on said horizontal rockshaft; a direct connection between said rocker-farms; a lever having a projection extending into the path of the rocker-arm on the horizontal. rock-shaft; a connection between said lever .and the rocker-arm on the vertical rock-shaft; a drop carried by said horizontal rock-shaft adapted to be normally supported in raised position byfla feed-yarn; a continuously operating counter-shaft; and a finger carried by said counter-shaft adapted/to repeatedly traverse a path intersected by said drop when .released from the control of the feed-yarn.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto I Witnesses:

F. C. CURTIS, J. E. DoNsnAoH; 

